Sun-Like Star May Have More Planets Than Our Solar System

Sun-Like Star May Have More Planets Than Our Solar System

A star already known to host five alien planets may actually be home to a whopping nine full-fledged worlds – a planetary arrangement that, if confirmed, would outnumber our own solar system and set a new record for the most populated system of extrasolar planets yet found.

The sun-like star, called HD 10180, is located approximately 127 light-years away from Earth. In a previous study, astronomers identified five confirmed alien worlds and two planetary candidates. Now a new study confirms both previous candidates in the HD 10180 system, and also suggests that two more planets could be orbiting the star. This could bring the tally up to nine planets. Our solar system, by comparison, has eight official planets (with Mercury closest to the sun and Neptune at the farthest end). Pluto and several other smaller objects are considered dwarf planets, not full-blown worlds.